This week at 2025 John Deere Classic It began with the conversation of big names in the field, which would not normally stop in Quad cities for the fourth weekend of July.
Rickie Fowler had not played John Deere in 15 years before taking it on Thursday. Max Homa’s Search for his best golf led him to TPC Deere Run. Tom Kim, Jason Day and my sungjae were also in the field. All this led to John Deere Classic’s strongest field in the official era of world golf ranking. Maybe that’s a Effect of the signature event model Or a sign that a more competitive and weaker tour forces larger names to play more than they would do normally and in different locations than their normal obstruction bases.
But while this absorbed all the oxygen of the early week, John Deere Classic’s true legacy was again being put under the surface.
Since 1970, John Deere Classic has produced 24 winners of the first time, most of each tournament stop. John Deere Classic has a reputation to be a rush pillow for the next game stars. It is known for giving sponsor exceptions to high amateurs who later return to compete and sometimes win at TPC Deere Run.
Roger Maltbie and David Thoms both took their first career victories in Deere. The 72nd 72nd Jordan Spieth’s 72nd Holeout to force a play off and win in 2013 is Legend John Deere’s item. Spieth, then 19, was the invitation of a sponsor that week, and the victory helped to grow it towards Stardom.
This week in Quad cities is no different. Field includes Flowering star Luke Clantonwho was a sponsor invited as an amateur last year, and recently returned the pros. 2025 NCAA MICHAEL LA SASSO’s individual champion is on the field, as is the Haskins Award 2025 David Ford and All-American Ben James.
Jackson Koivun how TPC Deere Run fits his game
Then is Jackson Koivun, who is marked to be one of the next golf stars after leaving Auburn University and receiving the PGA Tour card that he won through the accelerated PGA University. Koivun, the number 1 player ranked in the world’s amateur golf ranking, became the first player to win all four main men’s college Golf awards last year, taking Haskins, Jack Nicklaus Award, Ben Hogan Award and Phil Mickelson Award at home.
Koivun has already made three PGA Tour starts this season. He made the cutting open to the provision of farmers and Arnold Palmer Invitational before losing the cut from one to US Open.
Everything shows that Koivun was the next big thing in the PGA Tour, and he reached the TPC Deere Run with full knowledge of what the tournament and place of flourishing new weapons that came before him thought.
“Really interesting to have a host of sponsor exceptions and amateurs play well here,” Koivu said on Wednesday. “This simply shows that it is possible. I just have to keep it in the back of my mind and trust my game and myself.”
Koivun opened with an unintelligible round one-nin-par, before joining a Friday attempt to see him make seven birds while shooting a 64 without Bogey to throw into strife.
“As soon as I went out to the first thesis and felt good,” Koivun told his Friday round. “I made some early birds and just tried to continue the train. Yesterday, I played really solid from tee and had a lot of good looks.”
With the winds waving on Saturday, Koivun went into trouble early, making a double noise in the sixth hole first. But he responded with birds at eight, 10, 11, 13 and 14. He was stumbled upon a noise in 15, but wiped it with another bird in no. 17 to charge a three-nine 68 year old and enter the house on 11 under. He will start on Sunday in the fourth round of the shooting of leader and defense champion Davis Thompson.
Koivun ranks seventh in the winning strokes: out for the week and the sixth in the placement. His approach game (-2.148 shots for rounds) has been weak, but he will still have a chance to go on Sunday and join Scott Verpank, Phil Mickelson and Nick Dunlap as the only amateurs winning in PGA Tour since 1985.
“I’m just trying to climb the manager’s table as much as I can every day,” Koivun said in his opinion by entering Sunday. “I know if I go to play well tomorrow, I can definitely make a quarrel. Just go out there and have fun.”
Wheelless entertainment is a luxury given to youth, both in life and in golf. Koivun, who is already committed to returning to Auburn for his new season, does not need to worry on Sunday about FedEx Cup points or a last -minute dash to qualify in the open championship. He is not playing to save his card, continue his career or fight to return to a level that once conquered him. He is simply playing Golf, knowing that everything is in front of him.
The gift of the spectacular promise and a broad open future that will be Koivu’s greatest asset on Sunday when he tries to announce his arrival with a rage in TPC Deere Run.
Twenty players will begin the last round of Sunday within the five blows of Thompson’s supremacy, and Koivun, potentially the other big thing of PGA Tour, has more in the reservoir than for anyone in the table. He will not enter Sunday in the spotlight. The focus will be on Thompson’s attempt to repeat, the search for Homa for his old himself, and perhaps Matt Kuchar’s attempt to return to the winner’s circle for a recent time.
But in a course that gives birds, Koivu will have an opportunity to get his driver and try to go in search of a victory that would ignite his expected lift.
Much is expected by Jackson Koivun. On Sunday, he will have a chance to authorize a powerful opening chapter in his PGA Tour history. A story that is already overwhelmed with the type of promise that rarely rarely – the type of promise that often bubbles on the surface in John Deere Classic.
Seduce
Golfit.com editor
Josh Schrock is a writer and reporter for Golf.com. Before entering Golf, Josh was the interior of Chicago Bears for the NBC Sports Chicago. He previously covered 49ers and Warriors for NBC Sports Bay Area. A native Oregonian and Uo alum, seduces and spends his free time walking with his wife and dog, thinking about how the ducks will break his heart again, and trying to become half a professor into pieces. A true romantic for golf, Josh will never stop trying to break 90 and will never lose the confidence that Rory Mcilroy’s main drought will end (updated: he did it). Josh Schrock can be reached in Josho.schrock@golf.com.

